Soldier Soother

Skincando’s Combat-Ready Balm soothes everything from sunburn and dry skin to razor burn and sand-flea bites, which is why U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are big fans of the product. From now through December 25, you can donate a two-ounce jar of the cream to a solider and get another sent to you, all for $12.50. It’s a small way to say thank you to the men and women making big sacrifices for our country.

Share

Sweetness and Light

This time of year, many people in the cold and potentially snow-covered northern part of the country would love to be spending a little time down south. But if an escape isn’t in their future, they can at least make their own home feel a little bit like Charleston, New Orleans, or other Deep South spots with soy candles from Low Country Luxe. And while all of them give off good scents, many of the company’s candles also give back to nonprofits. The sweet tea olive blossom and citrus scented New Orleans candle ($54.95) benefits the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans and Music for Tomorrow, while the Beau, Belle, and Sugah collection ($34.95 each) helps raise funds for the March of Dimes. The Savannah-based company also supports its own region through its Gullah candle ($49.95), which generates donations to the Penn Center and its efforts to preserve South Carolina’s Gullah history.

Share

What a Card

If you’re a slacker when it comes to Christmas cards, don’t worry. You still have time to order some photo cards from Tiny Prints, which offers stylish options for those who prefer a more modern spin on the traditional custom. And if you choose one of the designs in the company’s Celebrity Holiday Card Collection, you’ll be supporting charity while sharing your favorite photo of your kids with friends and family. Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross and Alison Sweeney of The Biggest Loser and Days of Our Lives are among the famous moms who provided design ideas for cards benefiting organizations like Feeding America and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. So don’t wait any longer—upload your favorite photo and place an order to share some holiday cheer with your loved ones and some very worthy causes.

Share

Going to the Dogs

Got a pet lover on your gift list? Then check out Emily Elizabeth Jewelry. The New York–based company, whose designs have been spotted on celebs like Kristen Wiig and Vanessa Hudgens, donates 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale of its animal-centric items to the ASPCA. Pieces include a paw-charm necklace ($48) and matching stud earrings ($35) sure to appeal to any dog owner you know.

Share

A Recipe for Success

I love that the pieces in KitchenAid’s Cook for the Cure Pink Product Collection look like grown-up versions of a little girl’s play-kitchen accessories. And I love even more that they help generate funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest grassroots network of breast-cancer survivors and activists working to put an end to the disease. For every piece purchased, KitchenAid donates up to $50 to fight breast cancer. So go ahead and whip up a cake or puree some veggies—it just might help save a life.

Share

Culture Club

Even if they’re not world travelers yet, the kids in your life can look the part with globally influenced fashions from the Tea Collection. From kimono-inspired dresses for girls to dragon-emblazoned T-shirts for boys, the worldly attire looks like it could have come straight from the closet of the Jolie-Pitt kids. And like that famously charitable family, Tea Collection is also known for giving back. Twice a year, it introduces a new selection of onesies, T-shirts, and hoodies that benefit the Global Fund for Children. Fifty percent of their sales go to the organization that has awarded more than $13.9 million in grants in 72 countries since 1997.

Share

Everyday People

Going through Harry Potter withdrawal? Ease your pain with One Day in the Life of Daniel Radcliffe ($29.95), a new book from photographer Tim Hailand. Featuring 50 black-and-white and color images, it captures a day during Radcliffe’s run in Equus on Broadway, everything from him dozing in bed to rehearsing his buzz-worthy role. The book goes on sale December 15, and a portion of the proceeds goes to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Look for additional books from Hailand focusing on artists and entertainers like Rufus Wainwright and Christian Lacroix in 2010.

Share

Shop Like a Celeb

Know someone who’s as stylish as Rachel Bilson or Brooke Shields? Then head to Piperlime, where you can see their gift ideas along with picks from Rashida Jones and Kristen Bell. Purchase any of their suggestions through December 31, like these Kate Spade earrings ($95), and 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to The Art of Elysium, a nonprofit that connects actors, artists, and musicians with kids with serious medical conditions.

Share

Chipping Away at a Problem

I’m never one to turn down a cookie. Especially when it’s a cookie that helps fight pediatric cancer. And that’s what all the treats sold by Cookies for Kids’ Cancer do. The charitable organization was founded by a mom inspired by her son’s battle against neuroblastoma. Since its first bake sale in 2007 and official launch in 2008, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has raised some $700,000 to fund pediatric cancer research. Cookies ($30 a dozen) come in flavors like triple chocolate chunk and chewy oatmeal raisin, and 100 percent of the profits help fund research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer. And through the end of December, the Glad Products Company is matching all the funds raised by Cookies for Kids’ Cancer up to $100,000. Which makes this gift idea an extra sweet one.

Share

Blanket Statements

OK, I have to admit—I laughed at my brother when I heard he’d bought one of those blankets with sleeves. But the more I see them, the more they make sense. Especially for someone like me, who likes to flip through a magazine while I’m watching TV, which is kind of hard to do if your arms are covered by a regular old blanket. There are lots of options out there for keeping you cozy but not confined, but perhaps none with the warming power of the Joyful Nuddle ($88). Purchase one and a second Joyful Nuddle will be sent to a survivor of sexual assault, domestic violence, or child abuse in one of the programs of the Joyful Heart Foundation. So you won’t be the only one who gets that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Share

Forward-Looking Fashion

Think your kiddo is as stylish as the offspring of Jennifer Garner, Tori Spelling, and Naomi Watts? Then deck him or her out in clothes from Baby Eggi like celeb moms do. Founded by two sisters, the company offers fashionable but still practical apparel like bell-sleeve jackets ($48) and raglan-striped tops ($28) for girls and T-shirts for boys ($10 to $26) featuring artwork by Los Angeles tattoo artist Mark Mahoney. But what’s even cooler than the clothes is the fact that 20 percent of Baby Eggi’s net proceeds are donated to partnering children’s charities like Artists for a New South Africa and Kids Courage Foundation.

Share

Shirting the Issue

Even small fries can make a big impact. That’s the philosophy at Tiny Revolutionary, which sells hip kids’ T-shirts, onesies, and hoodies bearing socially conscious messages extolling everything from recycling to hybrid cars. And the company’s Giving Tees ($25 to $44) take that idea even further, donating up to $20 of the proceeds of their sale to small children’s charities like Save a Child’s Heart and Rock for Kids. So even though your nephew or daughter might not be able to tie their own shoes yet, they can sport a cool shirt that helps make a difference in another kid’s life.

Sweet Talk

I’ve always had a thing for caramel, whether it’s enrobed in chocolate, drizzled over ice cream, or just all by itself. So the gift packs ($10 to $165) offered by Good Karmal are right up my alley. Packaged in earth-friendly containers and wrapped with words of wisdom from sages like Gandhi and Maya Angelou, the candy comes in flavors ranging from classic vanilla to green apple or chipotle. A portion of all sales goes to environmental charities like the World Wildlife Fund and the Nature Conservancy.

Score Some Brownie Points

Know someone who’s a Top Chef addict or a Martha Stewart devotee? Get them a copy of The Greyston Bakery Cookbook, which features more than 80 recipes for cookies, bars, cakes, and tarts. All of the profits from the cookbook go to the Greyston Foundation, which provides jobs, workforce development, and other support services to the Yonkers, New York, area. The bakery—which is the exclusive producer of brownies for Ben & Jerry’s products—also sells packaged versions of its Do-Goodie Brownies for those people you know who think a kitchen is only good for storing takeout menus.